### 144

Rakhi closes her velvet satchel and places it on the seat beside her.

‘Forgive me for saying this, but you look very tired. Have you had a hard journey to Vabou?’ You smile and nod your weary head. ‘Mmm, then I know just the thing that will make you feel much better.’

Rakhi raises her arm and beckons the young barmaid over to your table. She asks the girl to bring you a pot of boiling water and two teacups. The girl returns shortly with the pot and cups and Rakhi thanks her kindly. You watch with fascination as she removes a pouch of small white flowers from a pocket of her dress and tips them into the pot. As you wait for the flowers to infuse in the steaming water, she informs you that they are fresh Senara blooms that she gathered earlier today. Carefully she lifts the lid of the pot and smiles, then she fills the two teacups with this curious brew.

‘This is Senara Tea,’ she says, ‘it’s a wonderful restorative, very popular in my homeland. I recommend we wait a few minutes for it to cool as really it should be served cold for best effect.’

If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and have achieved the rank of Sun Thane or higher, turn to 52.

If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline, or if you have yet to achieve the required rank, turn to 179.